Electricity and Circuits: A Beginner's Guide, Lecture notes of Basic Electronics

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WHAT IS ELECTRICITY?

Before we can understand what electricity is, we need to know a little about atoms. Atoms are made up of three different types of particle: protons, neutrons, and electrons. Protons have a positive charge, neutrons are neutral, and electrons are negative charged. An atom can become positive or negatively charged by losing or gaining electrons. If an atom losses an electron it becomes positively charged. If an atom gains an electron it becomes negatively charged.

WHAT ARE CIRCUITS?

A circuit is a path that electric current flows around.

Current flows from a power source

to a load. The load converts the

electric energy into anther type of

energy

A light bulb is a load that converts

electrical energy into light and heat

energy.

What are some other types of loads?

What type of energy do they convert

the electric energy into?

WIRES

Why are circuits connected with wires? Wires are made out of metal which is a conductive material. A conductive material is one that electricity can travel through easily. Which of these material are conductive? Water (dirty) Wood Aluminum Foil Glass String Graphite Styrofoam Concrete Cotton (fabric) Air

SHORT CIRCUIT

Current follows the path of ‘least resistance’

Resistance is provided by the light bulb.

In this case the light bulb will not turn on

because all the current will flow though the

path with just a wire and none through the path

with the light bulb.

WHICH OF THESE LIGHTBULBS WILL TURN ON?

SWITCHES

A switch has two states Open or closed When a switch is open no current can flow through it. When a switch is closed current flows through it.

RESISTOR

You can tell the

resistance value by

color of the strips on

the resistor

FLASHLIGHT ACTIVITY

Construct a flashlight with your partner using wire batteries LEDs and resistors. Your flashlight should have a switch (it should be able to be turned on and off) If you finish early: Add more LED’s to your flashlight. Can you make two switches that do two different things.